Camilo Téllez is a Colombian-American conductor whose work focuses on orchestral programming, sound, and the relationship between repertoire and context.
His artistic development was shaped within the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Dudamel Fellowship (2021–2022), where he worked closely with Gustavo Dudamel, collaborating with artists such as Zubin Mehta, Michael Tilson Thomas, Elim Chan, Hilary Hahn, Beatrice Rana, Emanuel Ax, and María Dueñas.
His work has taken him across the United States, Europe, Latin America, and China, with appearances including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra, the Naples Philharmonic, the Florida Orchestra, the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hamburg Theater Orchestra, and the Turku Chamber Orchestra. This international experience reflects a broad engagement with orchestral performance across different cultural and institutional settings.
His artistic practice includes a 30-city tour in China presenting a contemporary Italian ballet, as well as collaborations in diverse performance contexts, including a production of Peter and the Wolf at the Hollywood Bowl, featuring narrator Viola Davis, and a production of Fidelio involving deaf performers, under Gustavo Dudamel. He has also participated in performances of rediscovered repertoire, including a lost violin concerto by African-Cuban composer Joseph White, performed with violinist Rachel Barton Pine.
During his career, Téllez has developed a deep passion for inspiring and mentoring younger generations of musicians through orchestral training and music education. He believes that orchestras are a reflection of a complex society, where discipline, empathy, collaboration, and mutual respect can shape not only better musicians, but also better human beings. Drawing from his own experience in “El Sistema” in Venezuela, Téllez has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of music to connect communities and create meaningful social impact through collective artistic work.
This philosophy has guided his extensive experience working with youth orchestras, festivals, universities, and educational programs throughout the United States, China, Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama, collaborating with youth, university, and community ensembles.
As instrumentalist, he maintains an active study of the organ, with a focus on the music of Bach and Buxtehude, which informs his understanding of structure, sound, and orchestral color. He holds a Master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from Indiana University and a Bachelor in Music from Juan N Corpas in Colombia.